Oligosoma
Encyclopedia
Oligosoma is a genus
of small to medium-sized skink
s (family
Scincidae). It is found only in New Zealand
and in the Norfolk and Lord Howe groups. It belongs to the Eugongylus
group; the genus Bassiana
appears to be a fairly close relative (Austin & Arnold 2006).
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of small to medium-sized skink
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
s (family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Scincidae). It is found only in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and in the Norfolk and Lord Howe groups. It belongs to the Eugongylus
Eugongylus
Eugongylus is a genus of skinks in the subfamily Lygosominae. The namesake of the Eugonglyus group of genera, it occupies a quite basal position among these...
group; the genus Bassiana
Bassiana
Bassiana is a genus of skinks . It belongs to the Eugongylus group; the genus Oligosoma appears to be a fairly close relative. An alternative name is Acritoscincus...
appears to be a fairly close relative (Austin & Arnold 2006).
Species
These are the currently formally described species.- Fiordland skink, Oligosoma acrinasumOligosoma acrinasumThe Fiordland skink, Oligosoma acrinasum, is a species of skink endemic to the Fiordland temperate forests ecoregion of South Island, New Zealand. The Fiordland skink is found on two mainland locations and the exposed rocky shores of numerous islands along the Fiordland coast . Their distribution...
- Burgan skink, Oligosoma burganae
- Green skink, Oligosoma chloronoton
- Falla's skinkFalla's SkinkFalla's skink, Oligosoma fallai, is a species of skink in the Scincidae family.It is endemic to the Three Kings Islands off the coast of New Zealand. It is found nowhere else in the world.-References:...
, Oligosoma fallai - Grand skinkGrand skinkThe grand skink, Oligosoma grande, is an endangered species of large skink endemic to the central Otago region of New Zealand.- Physical characteristics :...
, Oligosoma grande - Chevron skinkChevron SkinkThe chevron skink, Oligosoma homalonotum, is a large species of skink endemic to New Zealand.The specific epithet, "homalonotum", means "smoothed backed". The common name of the species has its origins in the distinctive chevron markings along its back and tail...
, Oligosoma homalonotum - Cryptic skink, Oligosoma inconspicuum
- Speckled skinkSpeckled SkinkThe speckled skink, Oligosoma infrapunctatum, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.The speckled skink is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification System as being in 'gradual decline'....
, Oligosoma infrapunctatum - Barrier skinkBarrier skinkThe Barrier skink, Oligosoma judgei, is a species of medium sized skink endemic to New Zealand where it lives in the alpine habitat of the Darran and Takitimu mountains of Fiordland...
, Oligosoma judgei - Spotted skink, Oligosoma lineoocellatum
- Long-toed skinkLong-toed skinkThe long-toed skink, Oligosoma longipes, is a species of skink of the family Scincidae, endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by Geoff Patterson in 1997. It is only known from a few sites in the South Island of New Zealand and little is known of its habits. It seems to prefer dry, rocky...
, Oligosoma longipes - Maccanns skink, Oligosoma maccanni
- Small-scaled skinkSmall-Scaled SkinkThe small-scaled skink, Oligosoma microlepis, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The holotype is in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.-References:...
, Oligosoma microlepis - Moko skinkMoko skinkThe Moko skink, Oligosoma moco, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is now found throughout the northeastern part if the North Island....
, Oligosoma moco - Chatham Islands skinkChatham Islands skinkThe Chatham Island skink, Oligosoma nigriplantare, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae.It is the sole reptile species found on the Chatham Islands of New Zealand where it occurs on all the major islands except Chatham Island itself. Given the geological history of the Chatham Islands, it...
, Oligosoma nigriplantare - Common Skink, Oligosoma polychroma
- Nevis skink, Oligosoma toka
- Southern skinkSouthern SkinkThe southern skink, Oligosoma notosaurus, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.-References:* Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 20 July 2007....
, Oligosoma notosaurus - Otago skinkOtago skinkThe Otago skink, Oligosoma otagense, is an endangered species of large skink of the family Scincidae, found in the central Otago region of New Zealand.-Physical characteristics:...
, Oligosoma otagense - Sinbad skinkSinbad skinkThe Sinbad Skink, Oligosoma pikitanga is a rare species of medium sized skink endemic to New Zealand where it lives in an alpine habitat in Sinbad Gully, in Fiordland National Park...
, Oligosoma pikitanga - Eyres skink, Oligosoma repens
- Shore skinkShore skinkThe shore skink, Oligosoma smithii / Leiolopisma smithii, is a species of skink native to the north half of the North Island of New Zealand. The shore skink is always found near the shoreline and prefers open areas such as around driftwood at the high tide mark. It eats insects and probably...
, Oligosoma smithi - Small-eared skinkSmall-eared skinkThe small-eared skink, Oligosoma stenotis, is found only on Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand. It was first described in 1994 by Geoff Patterson and Charles Daugherty. It is a moderately small skink, that lives in one of the most inhospitable environments on earth....
, Oligosoma stenotis - New Zealand striped skinkNew Zealand Striped SkinkThe New Zealand striped skink, Oligosoma striatum, is a rare species of medium sized skink endemic to New Zealand. The specific epithet means "streaked".The habitat of this species is native forest; they are often found under fallen rotting logs in the bush or under those remaining in pasture after...
, Oligosoma striatum - Suter's skinkSuter's skinkSuter's skink, Oligosoma suteri, is the only native skink in New Zealand to lay eggs - hence its other common name, the egg-laying skink. The egg laying Australian rainbow skink also is present in some parts of New Zealand. O...
, Oligosoma suteri - Open Bay Islands skinkOpen Bay Islands skinkThe Open Bay Islands skink, Oligosoma taumakae, is a species of skink in the family. It is recently described from the small Open Bay Islands off the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. This species is diagnosed on the basis of several morphological characteristics, and its specific...
, Oligosoma taumakae - Te Kakahu skink, Oligosoma tekakahu
- Nevis skink, Oligosoma toka
- Scree skinkScree skinkThe scree skink, Oligosoma waimatense, is a species of skink native to several sites throughout the South Island of New Zealand. A member of the family Scincidae, it was described by Geoff Patterson in 1997. It favours rocky habitats, particularly greywacke screes....
, Oligosoma waimatense - Brown skink, Oligosoma zelandicum
Merging Oligosoma and Cyclodina
Following a recent taxonomical study it has been suggested that the old Cyclodina genus be merged with Oligosoma. This renders Cyclodina an obsolete taxon. The species previously included in the Cyclodina genus are:- Copper skinkCopper skinkThe copper skink, Cyclodina aenea, is a skink of the family Scincidae, endemic to the North Island of New Zealand....
, Oligosoma aeneum - Robust skinkRobust skinkThe robust skink, Cyclodina alani, is a large, rare species of skink endemic to New Zealand. This species was once widespread throughout the North Island but has been wiped out in most parts of its former range by predation from several species of introduced rats - it now occurs naturally only on 6...
, Oligosoma alani - Lord Howe Island skinkLord Howe Island skinkThe Lord Howe Island Skink is a species of skink in the Scincidae family. It is found on Australia's Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands.-References:* Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996.* ....
, Oligosoma lichenigera - Macgregor's skinkMacgregor's skinkThe Macgregor's skink, Cyclodina macgregori, is a species of skink in the Scincidae family. It is found only in New Zealand.-References:* Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996.* * Downloaded on 20 July 2007....
, Oligosoma macgregori - Northland skink, Oligosoma northlandi (presumed extinct)
- Marbled skinkMarbled skinkThe marbled skink, Cyclodina oliveri, is a species of skink in the Scincidae family.It is endemic to New Zealand.-References:* Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996* * Downloaded on 20 July 2007...
, Oligosoma oliveri - Ornate skinkOrnate skinkThe ornate skink, Cyclodina ornata, is a rare species of skink endemic to New Zealand. This species was once widespread through much of the North Island and on many offshore islands in the Hauraki Gulf and north of the Coromandel Peninsula...
, Oligosoma ornatum - Whitaker's skinkWhitaker's skinkThe Whitaker's skink, Cyclodina whitakeri, is a species of skink in the Scincidae family. It is found only in New Zealand. The specific epithet is in honour of Tony Whitaker , a New Zealand herpetologist who has studied NZ lizards for more than 30 years.Whitaker's skink lives in coastal forest and...
, Oligosoma whitakeri - Mokohinau skinkMokohinau skinkThe Mokohinau skink, , is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is now found in the Northland area including Three Kings Islands, the Poor Knights Islands and other offshore islands.The skink occupies broadleaf forest and low scrub, usually amongst boulders...
, Oligosoma townsi - Slight skinkSlight skinkThe slight skink, Oligosoma levidensum, is a skink of the family Scincidae, endemic to the far north of the North Island of New Zealand. The precise distribution is unknown, currently it is only known from localities in the Te Paki region of Northland...
, Oligosoma levidensum - Hardy's skinkHardy's skinkHardy's skink, Cyclodina hardyi, is a skink of the family Scincidae, endemic to the Poor Knights Islands of New Zealand. It occurs on Tawhiti Rahi Island, Aorangi Island, Aorangaia Island, Archway Island, and two rock stacks...
, Oligosoma hardyi